c shuman. (2014) "assessing agriculture nutrient managment in the state of delaware."

The Journal of Science Policy and Governance Volume 4 Issue 1

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The Journal of Science Policy & Governance

POLICY ANALYSIS:

ASSESSING AGRICULTURAL NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN THE

STATE OF DELAWARE: INTEGRATING REGULAR SOIL TESTING INTO

EXISTING POLICY

BY

CLAUDIA SHUMAN, UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

[email protected]


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I. Executive Summary

Fertilizer over-‐application in the agricultural realm poses a serious risk to the health of humans

through contamination of drinking water and aquatic ecosystems. Nutrient surpluses in crop fields

increase the potential for loss of nutrients to the environment via volatilization, storm runoff, and

infiltration into groundwater.

Excessive nutrient loads derived from anthropogenic sources including domestic, municipal,

industrial, and agricultural land uses continue to threaten the health of bays and estuaries along the

eastern coast of the United States. In excess, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus can fuel algal growth

to the point of altering the natural balance of an estuarine or marine system, driving it into a state of

eutrophication (Volk et al. 2006). In Delaware, USA nutrient loads derived from agricultural land use

provide a significant source of excess nutrients to the state’s bays and estuaries, second only to sewage

effluent (“Delaware Water Quality Assessment Report”).

The Nutrient Management Law, passed by the state of Delaware in 1999, requires that every

farmer acquire and maintain a nutrient certification and design and utilize a nutrient management plan

with the help of a certified nutrient consultant. The plan must include a map of the property, soil and

manure analyses, crop yield goals, and a nutrient budget. Additionally, farmers must maintain nutrient

handling records and submit annual nutrient use reports. Renewal of both nutrient certifications and

management plans is required every three years (Hughes et al. 1999).

The Delaware Department of Agriculture and the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension

both emphasize the environmental and economic benefits of soil testing prior to fertilizer application.

Soil testing determines the nutrient needs of soils at a specific point in time. This helps farmers to avoid

over-‐application and under-‐application of fertilizers. At present, a soil test is only required once per


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three years with the renewal of a nutrient management plan. Because the nutrient content of soils –

specifically nitrate-‐nitrogen – changes readily with fertilizer application and crop cultivation (Ritter et al.

1990), more frequent nitrate soil testing needs to be required in order to minimize environmental

health impacts and financial loss via fertilizer over-‐application.

Integrating more frequent nitrate soil testing into existing policy will not be a simple transition.

Agricultural land owners and farmers have different priorities than federal and state environmentally-‐

focused organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Delaware Department

of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC); the majority of land owners and farmers

prioritize efficiency and productivity regarding fertilizer use, while the EPA and DNREC are more

concerned with nutrient regulation and environmental impact. Outreach and an integration of priorities

across these pools of stakeholders is necessary in order for the policy modification to be successful.

This policy analysis examines Delaware’s current agricultural nutrient management policies in

the context of estuarine and marine health and suggests improvement on existing policies through the

requirement of more frequent nitrate soil testing on agricultural land.

II. Introduction

What is the relationship between agriculture and nutrient loading?

Nitrogen and phosphorus are the principal nutrients responsible for limiting primary

productivity in aquatic ecosystems. If available in excess, they can generate algal blooms, forcing an

ecosystem into a eutrophic state (Volk et al. 2006). Both crucial elements for crop growth, they are

common components of fertilizers, often applied in the forms of nitrate and phosphate respectively.

Nitrate is a highly soluble form of nitrogen, easily incorporated into runoff and groundwater. Unlike


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nitrate, phosphate readily bonds to sediments, meaning that it often remains in soil until taken up by a

crop (“Nitrates”).

Nitrogen is by far more naturally abundant in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere than

phosphorus. Its abundance however, is not indicative of availability for direct use by crops. More than

99% of nitrogen on earth exists in the form of molecular nitrogen, unusable by most organisms.

However, a small fraction of organisms – nitrogen-‐fixing bacteria – present in soils and on the roots of

certain plants are capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into biologically usable forms, namely

ammonium. Nitrifying bacteria in the soil then convert the ammonium into nitrate which can be utilized

by plants. If the plants die and decompose within the environment, that nitrate will be recycled within

the system via re-‐mineralization of the organic plant material. However, if the plants are harvested as

crops, this disrupts the nitrogen cycle (Figure 1) by removing nitrogen from the system. Nitrogen

fertilizers must therefore be routinely applied to agricultural fields in order to promote crop growth and

maximize yield (Galloway et al. 2003).


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Figure 1: The soil nitrogen cycle

(“The Nitrogen Cycle”)

Prior to anthropogenic production and distribution of nitrogen fertilizers, the generation of

biologically-‐usable nitrogen (via atmospheric fixation) was largely balanced by its removal to the

atmosphere via denitrification (the conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria).

However, due to a worldwide overuse of fertilizer, nitrogen is presently accumulating in the

environment on local, regional, and global scales (Seitzinger et al. 2006).

74% of Delaware’s agricultural revenue comes from broiler (chicken) production, 14% from the

cultivation of field crops, and the remaining 12% from vegetables, livestock, greenhouse and nursery,

dairy, and other crops collectively (Figure 2) (Kee 2010). Poultry litter-‐manure, containing on average 57

and 44 pounds per ton of total nitrogen and phosphorus respectively, is used as a type of fertilizer on

farmland with low soil-‐phosphate or as a means of complying with phosphorus-‐limited nutrient


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management regulations. In order to comply with best management practices, poultry litter-‐manure is

ideally applied to cropland as quickly as possible after collection in an effort to prevent storage and

leaching into the environment (Delaware Nutrient Management Commission, Annual Report).

Figure 2: Distribution of Delaware’s agricultural revenue in 2010

(Kee 2010)

Litter-‐manure and synthetic fertilizers are the two most common types of fertilizer applied to

agricultural fields in Delaware, with the use of synthetics slightly outcompeting manures. Varieties of

synthetic nitrogen fertilizers include ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, non-‐pressure nitrogen

solutions, and various other blends. Some synthetic phosphorus fertilizers include ammonium

phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, and additional blends. It’s important

to note that synthetic fertilizers incorporate inorganic compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus, while

manures are largely organic. How quickly a fertilizer acts on a particular crop varies with fertilizer


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composition – organics versus inorganics; depending on the phase of cultivation one fertilizer might be

preferred over another (Binford 2006).

Fertilizer applied topically to a field can be taken up by crops to facilitate growth, volatize into

the atmosphere, be transported off of the field as runoff, or leach into soils and groundwater. Because

much of Delaware is underlain by sandy, unconsolidated sediments, leaching of fertilizer-‐derived

nutrients – specifically nitrogen in the form of nitrate – into groundwater is a serious environmental

concern. From fields, nitrates are transported via surface and groundwater to Delaware’s bays and

estuaries; this is known as nonpoint source (NPS) nutrient loading (Valiela et al. 2000).

What are the environmental impacts of nonpoint source nutrient loading?

Eutrophication refers to the state of a water body in which a high influx of growth-‐limiting

nutrients has resulted in rampant algal growth. It is an excursion from the natural oligotrophic or

mesotrophic state of a system in which nutrients exist in low to moderate quantities respectively.

Eutrophication of a water body results in highly turbid waters and low to nonexistent concentrations of

dissolved oxygen. Such conditions make the environment less hospitable for aquatic life, potentially

leading to loss in biodiversity, fish and shellfish kills, and the formation of dead zones – sections of an

aquatic environment where no life exists (Volk et al. 2006). Some algal blooms are directly harmful to

plants, animals, and humans that utilize an aquatic environment for commercial and recreational

purposes. Commonly known as red tides, these events can lead to mass fish and shellfish kills, adversely

impacting the ecosystem as well as the fishing industry. Furthermore, human exposure to the blooms

either through consumption or direct contact can lead to serious illness and death (Anderson et al.

2002).


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In addition to environmental and human health, eutrophication puts revenue from recreational

tourism at risk of decline. Activities impacted include swimming and beach-‐going, boating, and

recreational and commercial fishing. Algal blooms make coastal waters murkier, often tinting them

green; this reduces the aesthetic value of an environment for tourists and residents alike (Anderson et al.

2002). The state of Delaware depends upon tourism as a vital driver of its economy. In 2010, the

industry’s contribution to the state’s livelihood was right around 2.1 billion dollars; it is also the third

largest private employer in the state (“Delaware Tourism Industry Study Results”). Delaware’s economic

dependence upon the success of its tourism industry is yet another incentive to keeps the state’s

primary attractions – its bays and beaches – in pristine condition.

Eutrophication was first recognized as an environmental concern in the 1950’s with the

emergence of large algal blooms and their impact on shellfish harvests in Moriches Bay – a lagoon along

the shores of Long Island. The source of the problem, identified by marine ecologists at the Woods Hole

Oceanographic Institution, was the expansion of duck farms along lagoon shores. Nitrogen and

phosphorus-‐containing organic waste from the farms entered the Bay via several tributaries, prompting

the onset of eutrophication. Analyses of water samples taken from affected sites in the bay revealed the

presence of ample quantities of phosphorus, but an absence of all forms of nitrogen. It was thereby

discerned that nitrogen is the principal limiting nutrient controlling primary production in temperate

estuarine and marine environments (Ryther and Dunstan 1971). Today, the most common factor

contributing to eutrophication in estuarine and marine ecosystems is increased inputs of nonpoint

source (NPS) nutrient pollution, specifically nitrogen (Nixon 1995). Human activities including

deforestation, agricultural land use, fertilizer use, and the treatment and expulsion of wastewater

increase the quantity and rate of nitrogen delivery to coastal systems (D’Avanzo et al. 1996). Globally

growing nitrogen loads and the accompanying adverse environmental effects have made temperate

estuaries the most impaired of marine ecosystems worldwide (Jackson et al. 2001).


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Locally, Delaware’s Inland Bays are subjected to high NPS nitrogen loads and classified as

eutrophic. Agricultural cropland makes up 40% of all land use within the basin (Figure 3), claiming

approximately 72,000 acres. Consequently, agricultural practices are key contributors of nitrogen to the

Inland Bays. Croplands are largely dedicated to the cultivation of row crops – corn and soybeans; the

majority of the harvest is used as feed to support the state’s poultry industry. Nitrogen – specifically in

in the form of nitrate – is readily transported from fields to water bodies via storm runoff and

groundwater (“Nitrates”).

Figure 3: Land use/cover distribution within the Inland Bays basin, DE

(“Delaware Inland Bays Watershed Nutrient Management Project”)


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III. Current Policy

How is nonpoint source nutrient pollution managed in Delaware?

State non-‐point source (NPS) nutrient management programs are funded by the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) as authorized by the Clean Water Act of 1987. Prior to funding, a state must

have a completed and approved NPS nutrient management plan. Delaware completed and submitted its

management plan to the EPA in May of 1995, having since updated it to comply with current program

guidelines (Hughes 1999).

The EPA further requires that a state submit an NPS assessment report to assure optimal

delegation of federal funds. Delaware submitted its report in May of 1995, having prioritized watersheds

on a countywide basis through assessment of surface and groundwater quality, use and susceptibility,

and associated land use contributing to NPS nutrient loads. Federal funding is prioritized for

management on a watershed or sub-‐watershed scale where management measures are thought to have

the most impact (Hughes et al. 1999).

In accordance with the Clean Water Action Plan of 1997, Delaware created a Watershed

Assessment Team in 1998, responsible for identifying the most quality impaired watersheds in the state.

The team included representatives from federal, state, and local agencies as well as industry and

advocacy groups; some members included the EPA, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and

Environmental Control (DNREC), the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA), and the Delmarva

Poultry Industry, Inc. (Hughes et al. 1999).

The purpose of identifying severely impaired watersheds is to determine which are in need of

the application of total maximum daily loads (TMDL). A TMDL refers to the maximum quantity of a

pollutant a water body can receive annually while still complying with water quality standards. The


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objective in establishing TMDL’s for a water body is to meet use goals including drinking water supply,

swimming, fishing, and shellfish harvesting. As an example, an 85% reduction in nitrogen loads and a

65% reduction in in phosphorus loads is required for the tributaries of the upper Indian River, DE in

order to meet EPA standards (Hughes et al. 1999).

Establishment and implementation of TMDL’s is an ongoing process in the state. Because the

development is time-‐consuming, requiring first identification of the pollutants responsible for the water

quality impairment, determination of the pollutant sources, and assignment of load allocations, the

most severely impaired water bodies are prioritized. Implementation of TMDL regulations is carried out

through the development of Pollution Control Strategies (PCS’s) and Watershed Restoration Action

Strategies (WRAS’s) developed by DNREC. Tributary Teams, ideally composed of representatives from

multiple organizations including local, state, and federal agencies and the agricultural industry, drive the

implementation effort and function as an outreach body to the public (Hughes et al. 1999).

What is the current policy on agricultural nutrient management in Delaware?

The Nutrient Management Law, passed in 1999, is the primary piece of policy governing the

management of nonpoint source (NPS) nutrient pollution in Delaware. It requires that all nutrient

handlers – including farmers – create and implement nutrient management plans, keep precise records

of nutrient use, acquire and maintain a nutrient certification, and submit annual reports (Hughes et al.

1999).

The Nutrient Management Law underwent a phase-‐in process over a five-‐year period, ending on

January 1st, 2007. This process began with the identification of properties requiring nutrient

management planning. Property owners or lessees were subsequently notified regarding their


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compliance ("Agriculture Regulatory Provisions, CHAPTER 22. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, Subchapter III.

State Nutrient Management Program").

A nutrient management plan is a strategy for optimizing nutrient use. Its development is carried

out with the help of a nutrient consultant; the consultant first requires information pertaining to the

property in question including a property map, soil samples, crop yield goals, and a nutrient budget.

Public and private consultants are available; up to a certain price, the state reimburses those who hire a

private consultant. A nutrient management plan must be renewed every three years, requiring a current

comprehensive soil test (Hughes et al. 1999).

A nutrient certification, acquired through the completion of certification classes, provides proof

that an individual responsible for generating, applying, or handling nutrients understands and is capable

of implementing nutrient-‐specific best management practices. There are four classes of nutrient

certifications: nutrient generator, private nutrient handler, commercial nutrient handler, and nutrient

consultant. A private nutrient handler – such as a farmer – applies nutrients to 10 or more acres of land

that they own or lease; a private nutrient handler certification must be renewed every three years

(Hughes et al. 1999).

Although current policy thoroughly addresses the need for agricultural nutrient management in

the state, it does not utilize soil testing to its full potential in managing NPS nutrient pollution. Currently,

a soil test is required of farmers once per three years with the renewal of a nutrient management plan.

This testing regimen does not consider the potential for nitrate buildup in soils following nitrogen

fertilizer application and crop cultivation. If nitrate accumulation goes unmonitored, fertilizers can be

over-‐applied, leading to the release of harmful quantities of excess nitrate into the environment.


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IV. Proposed Modification

The nitrogen content of soils is highly susceptible to change through time with fertilizer

application and crop cultivation. Over-‐application of nitrogen fertilizers can result in nitrate

accumulation and leaching through soils. Ritter et al. (1990) conducted a study comparing nitrate

concentrations in soil profiles beneath 16 agricultural plots throughout Delaware. Corn and soybeans

were the major crops grown on all plots during the previous five years. The sites varied in quantity of

fertilizers applied, which was found to be the most dominant factor controlling nitrate concentrations in

soils within the root zone of crops (76 cm) and below. For example, during the fall, nitrate

concentrations within the root zone of a field routinely fertilized with 185 Kg nitrogen per hectare over

the period of a year were averaged at 134 Kg nitrogen per hectare, while nitrate concentrations beneath

a field routinely fertilized with 224 Kg nitrogen per hectare and additional broiler manure were averaged

at 241 Kg nitrogen per hectare.

I propose that Delaware’s Nutrient Management Law be amended to require nitrate soil testing

prior to every application of nitrogen fertilizer. By quantifying nitrate already present in soils within the

crop root zone, fertilizer over-‐application can be avoided, reducing the chances of nitrate accumulation

and leaching into groundwater.

What is agricultural soil testing?

Agricultural soil testing is utilized to determine the current pH, quantity and quality of nutrients,

and potential contaminants present within the soils of a crop field. These components directly influence

a soil’s fertility and its ability to support crop growth and yield ("Soil Testing"). Soil testing is a key

component in effectively managing land used for crop cultivation. By knowing the current nutrient

content of a soil, a farmer can determine the quantity of fertilizer that needs to be applied to maximize


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crop yield. Frequent testing helps farmers to avoid over and under-‐application of fertilizers, thus

optimizing financial expenditure and minimizing environmental impacts ("UD Soil Testing Program").

The University of Delaware Soil Testing Program provides soil testing services to farmers

throughout the state, offering five different tests: routine soil tests with lead for home gardeners,

routine soil tests for agricultural operations, lawn care companies, and landscapers, soluble salts, pre-‐

sidedress soil nitrate tests for corn, and soil lead screening (“What Soil Tests are Available”).

Required once per three years with the renewal of a nutrient management plan, a routine soil

test for agricultural operations in Delaware measures pH, organic matter, and the following extractable

nutrients: phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, boron, sulfur, and aluminum

(“What Soil Tests are Available”). An analysis of nitrate concentrations is not included despite its

potential for accumulation and leaching through soils if applied in excess (Ritter et al. 1990).

The University of Delaware Soil Testing Program advocates use of the pre-‐sidedress soil nitrate

test (PSNT) for corn as part of a Best Management Practice (BPM) for crops. Conducted properly from

sample collection through analysis, it yields accurate measurements of nitrate in soils, thereby providing

a recommendation for any additional nitrogen fertilizer application. Samples must be collected from the

top one foot of soil, placed into a cloth bag to dry, and shipped to the laboratory within three days of

collection. Once received by the lab, nitrate is extracted from the soil sample using one of several

suitable chemical extractants: calcium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, or calcium chloride.

Following extraction, the sample is filtered to remove all particulate matter. Finally, the nitrate

concentration of the sample is analyzed via colorimetric determination following cadmium reduction

(the most common method). The pre-‐sidedress soil nitrate test has recently been adopted for use in

cultivating various types of vegetables including pumpkins, peppers, cabbage, and broccoli (Griffin 2009).


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It is important that the test be interpreted within the context of recent rainfall; due to the

soluble nature of nitrate, rain events occurring after collection of analyzed samples have the potential to

significantly reduce availability of nitrate within the root zone via leaching, thus increasing the quantity

of nitrogen fertilizer required for optimum crop yield (Griffin 2009).

Why should frequent nitrate soil testing be required?

The state requires that agricultural soils be tested once per three years with the renewal of a

nutrient management plan (Hughes et al. 1990). A routine soil test for agricultural operations measures

pH and quantifies organic matter, and the following major nutrients vital for crop growth: phosphorus,

potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, boron, sulfur, and aluminum (“What Soil Tests are

Available”). As previously noted, nitrate is not included. Prior to the 1980’s soil nitrogen tests were not

nearly as reliable as they are today, causing Delaware farmers to fall into the tradition of estimating the

fertilizer-‐nitrogen needs of their crops; the common application rate for corn is one pound of nitrogen

per bushel of anticipated yield (“Nitrogen Management for Corn in Delaware: The Pre-‐Sidedress Nitrate

Test”). However, nitrogen removal per bushel of harvested corn is estimated at 0.69 pounds of nitrogen

– less than the application rate; this disparity in the application versus removal rate implies that nitrogen

is left behind in the soil following harvest either as crop residue or excess fertilizer (“Nitrogen Removal

by Delaware Crops”). Modern soil nitrogen tests – specifically the pre-‐sidedress soil nitrate test is

credited with reliability in estimating the contribution of soil nitrate to crop requirements; it serves to

minimize the over-‐application of nitrogen fertilizers (“Nitrogen Management for Corn in Delaware: The

Pre-‐Sidedress Nitrate Test”).

Despite the ease with which nitrogen leaches through soils, it has the potential to build up in the

crop root zone (Ritter et al. 1990). The assumption that a certain amount of nitrogen fertilizer need be

applied to a crop field without soil testing can therefore lead to over-‐application. If soil nitrate testing


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were required prior to every application of nitrogen fertilizer, the minimum quantity of fertilizer

required for optimal crop yield could be determined and applied.

Minimizing nitrate input to the environment is vital in maintaining the health of Delaware’s

estuarine and marine waters. If more nitrate is applied to agricultural fields than can be utilized by the

crops, that excess nitrate is highly susceptible to transport via storm runoff and leaching into

groundwater. Much of the nitrate contained in runoff and groundwater eventually makes its way into

estuarine and marine water bodies where it heightens the risk of eutrophication (D’Avanzo et al. 1996).

The economic benefits of optimizing fertilizer application should not be ignored. The cost of

ammonium nitrate fertilizer has increased from 194 dollars per ton in 2000 to 544 dollars per ton as of

March 2013. Similarly, the price of urea has increased from 200 dollars per ton to 592 dollars per ton

within the same time frame (“Table 9 – Average U.S. farm prices of selected fertilizers, 1960-‐2013”).

With the worldwide demand for nitrogen fertilizers on the rise, prices will likely continue to trend

upward (“Why Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices Have Increased So Much”). A pre-‐sidedress soil nitrate test costs

eight dollars through the University of Delaware Soil Testing Program. By minimizing the quantity of

nitrogen fertilizer applied to reach optimal crop yield, less money will be spent on extraneous nutrients.


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Table 1: A summary of barriers facing this policy modification including issues pertaining to planning and research, outreach, and soil testing logistics. The following are meant to be addressed prior to policy implementation.

Planning and Research

What research will need to be undertaken to establish the feasibility of the proposed practices?

What monetary and labor capacity and from which sector will be needed to establish the practices and implement the policy?

Outreach

How will the agricultural community receive this policy modification?

Will the collection and transportation of soil samples prior to each instance of fertilizer application be seen as an inconvenience?

How will outreach to the agricultural community be facilitated? Through what organizations?

Soil Testing

How will the collection, transport, and analysis of samples be funded? Will the land owner or lessee be expected to pay the full expense?

What state facilities will be responsible for analyzing the increased volume of soil samples?

Will additional testing facilities need to be constructed in order to accommodate the increased volume of soil samples? Will additional employees need to be hired?

What will the turnover time for sample analysis be? How far in advance of applying fertilizing will a farmer need to collect and send off a sample?


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Table 2: A summary of policy recommendations meant to address those barriers related to planning and research, outreach, and soil testing logistics. This is meant to be an outline of tasks to prioritize. Additional obstacles will need to be managed.

Planning and Research

Initial data will be collected regarding the agricultural nitrate contribution to groundwater under the current policy regime. Continual monitoring and data collection will take place after policy implementation to gauge the effectiveness of the modification; the University of Delaware is an ideal candidate to conduct this research.

In order to realize the proposed policy modification, federal, state, and local organizations will need to work in tandem. The EPA will be the primary funding source, and DNREC the principal state organization in charge of policy implementation. Locally-‐acting organizations such as the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension will head outreach to the farming community. What additional manpower and facilities needed to accommodate the increased volume of soil samples will be determined. The estimated annual cost of the increased volume of soil samples, and thereby what funding is required will be determined.

Outreach Outreach will first be facilitated through nutrient certification classes. These classes will serve as a medium for introducing the modified policy to the agricultural community.

The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension office will be largely responsible for incorporating and presenting information on the new policy in their nutrient certification classes.

Discussion forums should be made a part of these classes or organized as separate events. The forums will facilitate open discussion of interests between federal, state, and local organizations.

Soil Testing The transport and analysis of samples will be funded by the Environmental Protection Agency through the state non-‐point source nutrient management program as authorized by the Clean Water Act.

The University of Delaware Soil Testing Program will lead the charge in analyzing the increased volume of soil samples. Additional facilities will likely need to step forward to share the load.

The current turnover time for sample analysis is around 10 days. This will need to be decreased in order to accommodate time-‐dependent planting and fertilizer requirements of farmers.


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V. Conclusions

Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers to agricultural fields results in the transport of nitrate

via groundwater and runoff into Delaware’s estuarine and marine waters. Nitrate loading leads to algal

blooms that increase turbidity and decrease dissolved oxygen levels, ultimately reducing biodiversity

and adversely impacting fish and shellfish stocks.

Delaware’s current policy on agricultural nutrient management requires soil testing every three

years with the renewal of a nutrient management plan. The mandatory routine soil test for agricultural

operations does not measure soil nitrate because of its assumed brief residence time in soils. In

Delaware, the quantity of nitrogen fertilizer applied is typically determined by estimated crop yields.

Soil nitrogen tests – specifically the pre-‐sidedress soil nitrate test – measure current nitrate

levels in soils. By quantifying nitrate already present in a soil, farmers can determine the minimum

amount that needs to be applied in order to maximize crop yield. This practice minimizes nitrate release

into aquatic environments.

This proposed policy modification requires that a soil nitrate test be carried out prior to every

application of nitrogen fertilizer. Soil testing is one of many best management practices utilized in

Delaware and neighboring states. Additional practices include the use of cover crops to minimize soil

erosion and nitrogen leaching into groundwater and strategic timing of manure application and

irrigation to prevent nitrogen loss via runoff and leaching. Comparably beneficial, soil testing is a

straightforward, cost-‐effective practice. And with the prices of certain nitrogen fertilizers having nearly

tripled in the past thirteen years and continuing to skyrocket, an eight dollar test seems a small price to

pay for optimized fertilizer expenditure.


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VI. References

"Agriculture Regulatory Provisions, CHAPTER 22. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, Subchapter III. State Nutrient Management Program." The State of Delaware. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://delcode.delaware.gov/title3/c022/sc03/index.shtml>.

Anderson, Donald M., et al. 2002. "Harmful algal blooms and eutrophication: nutrient sources, composition, and consequences." Estuaries, 25: 704-‐726.

Binford, Gregory D. 2006. "Chapter 8. Commercial Fertilizers." Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, 2006. Web. 28 Apr 2013. < http://ag.udel.edu/plsc/faculty/documents/chapter8.pdf>.

D’Avanzo, C., J. N. Kremer, and S. C. Wainright. 1996. Ecosystem production and respiration in response to eutrophication in shallow temperate estuaries. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 141:263-‐274

“Delaware Inland Bays Watershed Nutrient Management Project.” University of Delaware, n.d. Web. 20 Nov 2013. <http://www.udel.edu/FREC/spatlab/spot/>.

"Delaware Nutrient Management Commission, Annual Report." Delaware Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://dda.delaware.gov/nutrients/forms/2011/2010_NMAnnualRpt.pdf>.

“Delaware Tourism Industry Study Results.” State of Delaware. Web. 20 Nov 2013. <http://news.delaware.gov/2012/01/25/delaware-‐tourism-‐industry-‐study/>.

“Delaware Water Quality Assessment Report.” United States Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 20 Nov 2013. < http://ofmpub.epa.gov/waters10/attains_state.control?p_state=DE#causes>.

Galloway, J. N., et al. 2003. The Nitrogen Cascade. BioScience, 53(4):341-‐356

Hughes, J. A., et al. "Delaware Nonpoint Source Management Plan." DNREC, 1999. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/Library/NPS/NPSPlan.pdf>.

Jackson, J. B. C., et al. 2001. Historical Overfishing and the Recent Collapse of Coastal Ecosystems. Science, 293:629-‐637

Kee , Ed. "Delaware Agriculture." Delaware Department of Agriculture, 2010. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Delaware/Publications/DE AgBrochure_web.pdf>.

“Nitrates.” United States Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 20 Nov 2013. <http://water.epa.gov/type/rsl/monitoring/vms57.cfm>.

“Nitrogen Management for Corn in Delaware: The Pre-‐Sidedress Nitrate Test.” University of Delaware. Web. 20 Nov 2013. < https://extension.udel.edu/factsheet/nitrogen-‐management-‐for-‐corn-‐in-‐delaware-‐the-‐pre-‐sidedress-‐nitrate-‐test/>.

“Nitrogen Removal by Delaware Crops.” University of Delaware. Web. 20 Nov 2013. <https://extension.udel.edu/factsheet/nitrogen-‐removal-‐by-‐delaware-‐crops/>.

Nixon, Scott W. 1995. Coastal Marine Eutrophication: A Definition, Social Causes, and Future Concerns. Ophelia, 41:199-‐219


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Griffin, G., et al. 2009. “Recommended Soil Nitrate Tests.” University of Delaware. Web. 20 Nov 2013 <http://extension.udel.edu/lawngarden/files/2012/10/CHAP4.pdf>.

Ritter, W. F., et al. 1990. Soil Nitrate Profiles Under Irrigation on Coastal Plain Soils. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 116:738-‐751

Ryther, J. H. and Dunstan, W. M. 1971. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Eutrophication in the Coastal Marine Environment. Science, 171:1008-‐1013

Seitzinger, S., J., et al. 2006. Denitrification Across Landscapes and Waterscapes: A Synthesis. Ecological Applications, 16:2064-‐2090

"Soil Testing." North Carolina Department of Agriculture. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/soiltest.htm>.

“Table 9 – Average U.S. farm prices of selected fertilizers, 1960-‐2013.” Unites States Environmental Protection Agency, Web. 20 Nov 2013. <http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-‐products/fertilizer-‐use-‐andprice.aspx#.UpCOteKKKk1>.

“The Nitrogen Cycle.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 20 Nov 2013.<http://www.epa.gov/caddis/ssr_amm_nitrogen_cycle_popup.html>.

"UD Soil Testing Program." University of Delaware, n.d. Web. 28 Apr 2013. <http://ag.udel.edu/dstp/index.html>.

“What Soil Tests are Available.” University of Delaware, n.d. Web. 20 Nov 2013. <http://ag.udel.edu/dstp/Gen%20Program%20Info.html>.

“Why Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices Have Increased So Much.” University of Delaware, n.d. Web. 20 Nov 2013. <http://extension.udel.edu/kentagextension/2008/03/11/why-‐nitrogen-‐fertilizer-‐prices-‐have-‐increased-‐so-‐much/>.

Valiela, I., et al. 2000. Nitrogen loading from watersheds to estuaries: Verification of the Waquoit Bay Nitrogen Loading Model. Biogeochemistry,49: 277-‐293

Volk, J. A., et al. 2006. Nitrogen Loads through Baseflow, Stormflow, and Underflow to Rehoboth Bay, Delaware. Journal of Environmental Quality, 35:1742-‐1755

Bio

Claudia Shuman is a second-‐year master’s student at the University of Delaware in the School of Marine Science and Policy. She is studying the groundwater interface between agriculturally-‐derived nitrogen and estuarine health in southern Delaware. After her expected graduation in the summer of 2014, she hopes to move on to doctoral study linking the realms of watershed science and policy.

c shuman. (2014) "assessing agriculture nutrient managment in the state of delaware."

Documents

nutrient surpluses

nutrient certifications

nutrient budget

nutrient management

nutrient management

nutrient needs of soils

state of delaware

usa nutrient loads